


Drive It Like You Stole It

by The_Pocket_Llama



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Sex, Fluff, M/M, More characters to be added, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Rating will change, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2250162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Pocket_Llama/pseuds/The_Pocket_Llama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aoba Seragaki was never the most careful person, and really never claimed to be, but after meeting the mysterious not-twins he may decide that recklessness is the better part of being human, and arguably the best part.</p><p>ViTriAo modern AU where everything is consensual and nothing hurts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Error

**Author's Note:**

> Edit 1: AO3 removed all italics and ahh I'm so embarrassed at how unprofessional it looked. ;A; Hopefully the next chapter will be better because I will know AO3's quirks a bit better.

The night was quiet as Aoba Seragaki paced around the small grocery shop, sweeping the floor for the second time in a pathetic attempt to kill time before closing. The usual customers had come and gone for the day, and the last hour before closing usually had Aoba wishing to be euthanized. Sighing, he grabbed his headphones from around his neck, placing them over his ears. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, hitting play and as the song started he could feel his fried nerves loosen up. The thump of the bass filled his ears as he shut out his dull surroundings. Swaying a bit, he continued to work haphazardly. The blue haired man hummed softly to the tune of his music only to be stopped a few moments later by an unexpected tap to the shoulder.

Aoba turned around to see two blonde men who looked like twins staring at him. The one who had gotten his attention was wearing glasses and a fitted suit. He was a few inches taller than Aoba, but nowhere near as tall as the other man, who was wearing a vest that matched the other’s tie. The two looked like they had just stepped off a runway, and Aoba found himself self-conscious at the fact they had just found him _dancing with a broom like a fucking loser._ Aoba tore off his headphones, giving an apologetic smile. 

“I’m very sorry about that. Is there something you need?” He tried his best to sound professional, but instead his words sounded awkward and out of place. The larger man’s lips raised into a barely noticeable smirk as the man with glasses cleared his throat.

“Forgive us. We just wish to purchase this.” Shorter of the two held up a package of candy; something that seemed out of place for a man in a suit to be purchasing. None the less, Aoba gave a nod and waved for them to follow him.

“A-ah, yeah, of course. Right this way please.” 

He could almost feel the two strange men boring holes into his back as he made his way back to the counter at the front of the store. To see people dressed as well as them was something that didn’t ever happen at the small store, and Aoba felt lowly in comparison. As he checked out the twins blaring sirens and flashing lights passed the store, briefly gaining the attention of all three men.

“They’re so noisy.” The taller man said lamely, gaining a nod from the man in glasses. 

“Y-Yeah,” Aoba agreed, trying to relieve the awkward situation he had gotten himself into. He handed the bag to the blonde and gave a smile. “Thanks for shopping with us.”

“Thank you, Aoba-san.” The man with glasses smiled in return, dark blue eyes meeting Aoba’s. The piercing gaze sent electricity down his spine, but just as he opened his mouth to say something the blonde was headed for the door. 

“Bye, bye.” The larger man waved before returning to the other’s shadow and just as quickly as they arrived, they were gone.

Aoba just stared at the door for a long time; feeling frazzled. He shook his head, ridding the twins from his thoughts as he quickly worked to count up the money the store had made. 

As he flipped through the paper he became puzzled at just how off the amount of money was from what was supposed to be there. Shock plastered on Aoba’s face when he realized what a large mistake he had made. 

The twins had accidentally paid with a one-hundred instead of a one. Aoba felt the color drain from his face as he realized that, in his flustered state, he had given fifty cents as change instead of ninety-some dollars. He knew he was done for and that they would realize the mistake and come back for the correct change… and he would get fired for his carelessness. Dread engulfed him as he threw the hundred dollar bill in his pocket before locking up the shop. 

His walk home was a slow one, the alleys looking as dark as his future. By the time he arrived at the small house he and his grandmother shared, he was exhausted and defeated. 

Opening the door, which his grandmother had left unlocked for him, he was surrounded by familiar warmth, a stark contrast to the chilly November evening outside. He shrugged off his jacket and shoes before quietly making his way upstairs, his dog Ren following close behind. 

He changed into comfortable clothes before curling up in his bed, dreading having to wake up tomorrow.

\---

Work the next day was normal. The blonde twins hadn’t come in for their money, and as the night was coming to a close his boss left him to close up shop again. He was beginning to feel the relief that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t be fired for his mistake.

He decided to hang by the counter just in case a late night shopper would appear again. _I am not going to be caught dancing with a broom tonight,_ he thought.

“Yo, Aoba.” A familiar voice greeted him as the door to the store swung open. It was them.

The man with glasses greeted him with a sly smile, “Aoba-san.” 

“H-hello. I, um…” Aoba dug in his pocket, retrieving the hundred dollar bill, “I gave you the wrong change yesterday. I’m very sorry.” With a bow he offered the money to them.

“Hm?”

There was a beat of silence before Aoba heard the twins laugh at him. He lifted his head to see them both smiling, and glasses man shook his head.

“We gave you that much on purpose. It’s yours.”

“W-what?” He blinked, glancing from the bill to them, “You’re serious?”

“Mhm. You really helped us out yesterday, and we thought you could use the money.”

Aoba’s eyes narrowed a bit, _I’m not a homeless person, jeez,_ he grumbled slightly.

“Aoba-san, you misunderstand us.”

Oh shit I said that out loud.

“Aoba~,” The larger of the two said his name in a sing song voice; childish for someone who looked so masculine, “We gave it to you because you helped us out.”

The other gave a nod, “Mhm. You really helped us yesterday, so we were happy to help you.”

Aoba couldn’t help but feel awkward at the situation. He rubbed the back of his head, glancing away from the strange duo.

“Jeez, I just checked you guys out… You’re serious about the money…?” He was still hesitant, but bills did need to be paid soon…

The blonde’s nodded, saying in sync, “It’s fine, Aoba/Aoba-san.”

“Okay, I’ll accept it, but can I at least know your names? I mean, you know mine…” 

_Why is this so awkward?_

The man in glasses nodded, “I’m Virus.”

“Trip.”

“Alright then, thanks Virus, Trip.” Aoba gave a smile, running a hand through his bangs to push them out of his face. 

“Thank you too, Aoba-san.” Virus smiled and waved before turning to leave the shop, in an eerily similar fashion to the night before.

“Bye, Aoba~.”

“See ya.” 

When they left it wasn’t even a few minutes before sirens echoed in the background, catching Aoba’s attention.

“Weird…” He pondered out loud, “Normally we don’t have this much crime…”


	2. Reckless

“…Police are still investigating the robberies of stores and banks in the area, and are suspecting that it is gang related crimes. They are warning people in the area should….”

Aoba’s brows furrowed together as the news muttered on in the background. Based on the past few days he figured crime was getting bad in the area, but not this bad. _Maybe I should have Granny stop leaving the door open for me…_ He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the front door open and shut. 

“Yo, Aoba.” a familiar voice chimed through the small house as Koujaku, Aoba’s lifelong friend, let himself in as per usual. He leaned in the doorframe between the entrance and the living room, giving a grin. “How’ve you been?”

“Hey,” Aoba smiled in return, scooting over to make room for Koujaku on the couch. “Work this week has been… strange. But not as bad as some.” He gestured to the TV as Koujaku walked over, sitting next to him. 

“Yeah, I heard about that…” Koujaku’s nose wrinkled in disgust, exaggerated by the scar adorning his face. “Damn criminals, always causing problems for everyone else…”

Aoba just shrugged before smiling at the raven-haired man, giving him a playful punch to the shoulder.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I’m sure things will return to normal eventually.”

Koujaku beamed, wrapping his arm around Aoba’s neck and putting him in a headlock, “Alright, but if you see them you better let ‘em have it, okay?” He ruffled Aoba’s blue hair before Aoba was able to free from his grip.

“Yeah, yeah.” Aoba always considered himself lucky to have a friend like Koujaku. 

“Oi, you two stop goofing off and help cook!” Tae’s shrill voice captured both the boy’s attention and the two shot up, giving a quick “Yes, ma’am!” before heading to the kitchen.

“Ah, it smells great so far granny!” Aoba smiled wide as the smell of curry filled the air. Tae gave a noise of thanks before pointing to the cupboard.

“Set the table, Aoba. And you.” She pointed to Koujaku, “If you want to mooch, you need to help me with the dishes.”

“Okay, Tae-san!” Koujaku replied, sounding more than happy to help out. Although Tae would tease Koujaku, she appreciated having him around, and if asked would even consider him another grandson. Aoba smiled at the two, happy to spend his day off with the two of them.

\---

“Thanks for the meal, granny!”

“Thank you, Tae-san!”

They received a gruff “hmpf” in reply as the climbed the stairs to Aoba’s room.

“So Aoba… You sure you’ll be okay working at night?” Koujaku took a seat on Aoba’s bed, allowing Ren to jump on his lap. Aoba took a seat next to him, flopping down and stretching his arms out. He glanced over at Koujaku, frowning a bit as he saw the look of concern being pointed his way. Koujaku was usually very relaxed at his home, so seeing him so distressed was strange, and not something Aoba wanted to get used to. 

Aoba propped himself up on his elbows, “I think, yeah. I mean, it’s not like thieves or gangs are going to target a grocery shop. I will tell Haga-san that I should keep working the night shift just in case something does happen.”

Koujaku gave a hum of acknowledgement, looking down at Ren who was now sleeping on his lap. “Just be careful, I mean it.”

“Yeah, I will.” 

“Hey… I meant to ask earlier, but you said work was strange?” Koujaku raised a brow, “Have weirdos in the shop again?”

“Not like before, but there were these two blonde guys who look really alike… and they ended up giving me a hundred bucks for some reason.” Aoba scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly, “They actually caught me dancing on the job, which was a pretty embarrassing first impression…” 

Koujaku blinked before giving a look of disbelief, “They better not come back later asking for something of you.”

“Hey, they said it was a gift because I helped them out at the store. Besides, these guys looked like they had the money to throw around, so I’m not complaining.”

“So you’re going for rich guys, Aoba~?”

“Shut up, hippo!”

\---

The week went by in a blur, with sirens blaring in the distance every night and the twins showing up every so often.

Aoba couldn’t help but notice as he checked out a small bag of candy, “You two like coming in here…” It was more of a statement than a question, but Trip treated it as such anyways. He gave a nod, taking the bag and leaning against the doorframe.

“We do.”

“It’s pretty out of the way, which is nice.” Virus chimed in, glancing at the newspapers near the register.

“So, uh, I hope I’m not sounding nosey or anything, but you two are twins, right?” Aoba asked, sitting up on the counter. They stared at him for a moment and Aoba felt that he had said something wrong.

“We’re not twins/We aren’t twins.”

_Oh._

“Ah, sorry, it’s just you guys look a lot alike, so I was just wondering, and uh…” Aoba trailed off, glancing away in embarrassment. 

Virus just shrugged, seemingly not noticing Aoba’s awkwardness at the situation, “We do look alike.”

“Mm.” Trip nodded, shrugging as well.

Most of the week ended up being like this. Aoba worked night-shifts, the not-twins would show up, Aoba would say or do something stupid, and they would make some vague remark and leave, usually in that order. And strangely enough, at the end of the week Aoba found himself sitting in bed, staring up at the ceiling as he thought about Trip and Virus. He frowned a little at how flustered he was when they were around.

_They’re strange and I can never understand what’s going on in their heads… But at the same time I wonder why they hang around so much… And what do they think of me…? Wait, why am I caring about it so much?!_

With an angry groan he shut them out of his thoughts and tried to get some sleep.

And like clockwork, a few days later they were at the store again. Aoba gave a smile, though he was starting to question the sanity of the blondes. They had come to the store every week since he first met them, only to buy small sweets like candy and sometimes cakes. Aoba’s boss wouldn’t complain, but something about the two seemed… obsessive. 

“Hello, Aoba-san. How are you tonight?” Virus gave his usual smile, something Aoba wondered had any real emotion behind it. 

“Fine, thanks. What are you two doing here?”

“Just stopping by.” Trip shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets, “We were out and got bored, so we decided to see you.”

“I see…” Aoba gave a puzzled look at the two before rubbing the back of his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed, “So um-”

“Aoba-san, I have a question for you.” He was interrupted by Virus, who pushed up his glasses as he spoke, “What is your opinion of us?” 

“Eh? Um…” The first thing that came to mind was strange, but he wasn’t going to say that to their faces. “I really don’t know much about you two, so I really can’t say much, but…” He rubbed the back of his head, “I think you both are interesting, so I guess I’m kinda glad that you like coming here so much.”

Trip and Virus looked at him, eyes wide with an emotion Aoba couldn’t quite understand. They glanced to each other and nodded, smirking, before looking back over to the confused blue haired man. 

“Thank you, Aoba.” The two chirped in unison, looking content at what Aoba had said. 

Aoba blushed, looking away, “It’s just what I think... Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

Virus nodded, “Yes?”

“You guys said you aren’t twins, yeah?” A nod was given in return, “So what are you two to each other?”

Trip gave an audible hum as his brows knit together. Virus looked just as perplexed, placing a hand over pursed lips. As two sat like that, trying to think of a way to describe their relationship. Just seeing them so confused over something as simple as their relationship caused Aoba to laugh, 

“Pff-” Aoba hunched over in a fit of laughter, causing the others to draw back in confusion, “You two- I swear you’re the strangest people-” He stammered out in between chortles. After catching his breath he stood back up, giving a grin to the not-twins, who were looking at him like he had gone crazy, “You two act so suave and cool, but you don’t even know what your relationship is?”

The two looked at each other, then back at him. “Well,” Trip started, “We don’t hate each other… that always seemed like enough.”

“Mhm. I suppose based on our actions we could be friends or lovers, but I really never thought about it.”

Aoba shook his head, “It’s just funny th-”

Aoba was interrupted by blaring sirens and flashing lights in front of the building, causing him to cringe.

“J-Jeez, the robbery must have been pretty close…” He muttered, mostly to himself as he took his eyes away from the road he saw Trip and Virus’ smiles fade. 

“Aoba-san, do you trust us?” Virus asked quickly, his tone sounding colder than before.

“Uh, y-yeah, I guess?” Giving a puzzled look, Aoba glanced back at the car on the street to see a line of cops, guns pointed right at them “W-wait, what’s going on!”

“We’ll tell you later, right now we need to move.” Trip glared in the polices’ direction, putting a hand on Aoba’s shoulder.

“TRIP AND VIRUS.” A loud police officer on a megaphone was heard clearly, causing Aoba to jump, “COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO SHOOT YOU AND YOUR CONSPIRATOR.” 

_Conspirator? But there isn’t anyone else…_ Aoba let in a shallow gasp as he realized what the man meant. He was the conspirator, whether he knew it or not. He gave a panicked look to Trip. “B-But I haven’t done anything.” The blue haired man was in a state of shock, looking wide-eyed back at the people who were ready to take his life at any second. 

“Aoba-san,” He vaguely heard Virus over the blaring sirens, feeling cold fingers touch his hand, “Trust us.”

His life felt like it was going in slow motion, and as he gave a nod he was stolen off his feet by Trip. They ran without another word, and as Aoba held on tightly to the larger man’s neck he was able to catch a glimpse behind them. The large glass windows shattering and the sound of bullets being fired right at him was enough to convince Aoba that getting involved with Virus and Trip was possibly the most reckless thing he’d ever do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided I would upload early and plan to update every few days instead of every week because my chapters tend to be a bit shorter than most.
> 
> Thanks again to Ashley and Corrina for beta reading.


	3. Direction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being unbeta'd, so if you see any glaring mistakes please don't hesitate to let me know!

Trip ducked behind an aisle, holding tightly onto Aoba as the police continued to shoot. Aoba could hear the metal on metal pang as bullets rained on them, and squeezed his eyes shut in hope that this was just a bad dream. He had grown up thinking the cops were the good guys; even during his thuggish teen years he never got into trouble like this. 

“It’s open.” Virus said non-chalantly. Aoba assumed that he meant the back door, but didn’t open his eyes to look. Trip gave a noise of reply, before he started to move yet again, Aoba in tow. The blue haired man could hear the sounds of shouting and dogs barking behind them, but didn’t open his eyes in fear of what might have been happening. 

Aoba could feel his heartbeat in his head as he slowly opened his eyes to see Trip, running cooly and composed despite the fact that he was carrying Aoba as he ran from the cops. In a normal situation Aoba would have been angry for being treated like a girl or a ragdoll. But this was the farthest thing from normal he’d ever face, and if it meant dodging bullets he wouldn’t complain.

The air was cold in the late November weather, and the blue haired man couldn’t help but cling tighter to Trip, trying his best to fight off the bitter cold by using the other’s surprisingly warm body. _Where are we going…?_ was a thought that continued to repeat in his head as the police sirens were fading into the distance. 

“This way. The car is ahead.” He man could hear Virus close to himself, but when he tried to look for the voice he found the world too blurry to focus. 

“So, Aoba,” His attention was pulled back to the man who was carrying him, “First time running from the cops?” Trip gave a grin, though his attention was never pulled from Virus, and the direction they were headed. Aoba didn’t bother answering, just closed his eyes and thought, _I’m going to wake up and this is going to be some sort of sick nightmare._

It was when they stopped that he finally grasped the fact that it wasn’t. 

“Are you alright, Aoba-san?” When the three of them stopped, Aoba was able to finally focus on where he was and what was going on. They stood in front of a sleek, black sports car. It looked more valuable than Aoba’s life, and as he already felt like he was going to get sick, he was _not_ going to get into it no matter what the others said. 

But things rarely worked out in his favor, especially around Trip and Virus.

“Y-Yeah…” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat, “I’m okay, I think…”

He looked at Virus, who was now leaning against the car, panting slightly with hair disheveled. 

“Can you walk, Aoba?” Trip didn’t seem as out of breath as Virus, but still showed signs of exhaustion, “We need to leave soon if we don’t want to get caught.”

“I can…” Aoba’s own cheeks were flushed, from a mixture of pure adrenaline and nausea. As he was put down, however, he stumbled and nearly fell had it not been for Trip, “I-I’m fine. Just… shaken up.” He grumbled, regaining his balance. It was the biggest understatement he’d ever heard himself say, but the two men just nodded in response before opening the back seat door. 

“We need to leave, and soon.” Virus said firmly, leaving no room for arguments. With a tiny nod, Aoba got in the car, with Trip taking the wheel and Virus, the passenger seat. _Where are we going?_ Aoba couldn’t help but wonder, feeling less and less like he had any control of the situation as the car went into motion. Virus sighed, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. “How annoying…” He seemed to have muttered mostly to himself, but Aoba couldn’t help but feel that the words were directed at him.

Trip gave an audible click of his tongue in annoyance, never taking his eyes off the road, “Why the fuck did we caught?”

“I assume one of the lowers got caught and gave us away,” Virus glanced back at Aoba, presumably to make sure he wasn’t going to vomit in the back seat, “I figured as much would happen if we continued visiting Aoba-san regularly, so I made preparations a few nights ago for this car to be close by.”

Trip gave a small grunt, “Toue isn’t going to be happy.”

Virus just shook his head, his eyes returning to the road. “We didn’t do anything. The one who ratted us out, on the other hand…” A small smirk formed on Virus’s lips, causing a shiver to run down Aoba’s spine as he looked on, “I hope the police said he would be able to walk away with his life… Irony is a truly beautiful thing.”

There was a beat of silence as Virus’s words sliced through Aoba’s brain. “W-What do you two even do?” Aoba stammered out after his stomach settled enough that he didn’t feel like he was going to get sick at any second. The two looked at him as if they were surprised of his existence in the back seat before shrugging.

“We’re Yakuza.” They replied in synch, as if the topic of their career bored them. 

“A-And you’re just now telling me!” Aoba was angry now, glaring at the two. _If I had known they were Yakuza,_ his eyes narrowed, _I would have never ended up in this mess._

Trip gave a laugh, loud enough to startle Aoba and cause him to jump in his seat, “You’re not scared of us now, are you?” Virus gave an exasperated sigh, pushing his glasses back onto his face. 

“It’s not information we share with everyone, Aoba-san.”

“What were you doing robbing us, though? We’re a poor district.” Aoba questioned, crossing his arms in front of him and raising a brow. It was true, the small district of Midorijima was known for its slums, not its wealth. 

Virus chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair, “You misunderstand our boss’s intentions. He wanted crime to go up temporarily so he could help with the “clean-up”, so to speak. Win the people’s trust and all that. You see many other places welcome our presence, and he merely wants Midorijima to feel the same.” 

“And what does that have to do with me?” Aoba was pouting at this point, his glare diminishing into a look of confusion. 

“Nothing, actually. We stopped at your store on our way from a job.” Virus paused before giving his usual empty smile, “We weren’t planning on doing anything to the store… We just found you interesting, Aoba-san, so we came back.”

Aoba wasn’t about to fall for any of their charming bullshit. He gave an annoyed look at the two, fighting back the blush on his face, “No trying anything funny. This is just until you two get me out of this mess.”

Chuckling again, Virus just nodded, “Of course. I’m happy to see that you’re not frightened of us, Aoba-san.” 

“Mhm~.” 

“Yeah yeah…” The blue haired man looked out into the dark night, barely making out any of their surroundings, “So where are we going anyways?”

“Our house. It should be safe enough there to hide out for a few days.” Virus paused, “I will have to get you a change of clothes… For tonight you are free to wear some of my things.”

“Mm? Why can’t he wear something from me? I’m sure he’d look cute in lots of my stuff.” Trip interjected, giving Virus a playful nudge… in which Virus punched him in the shoulder hard enough for Aoba to flinch. Trip didn’t seem bothered by it, just laughing in reply.

 _Note to self: Don’t touch Virus._ Aoba made a mental note as he watched the two. It was strange; despite all that had happened they were joking, poking fun at one another, and seemed relaxed. He looked out the window, wondering how many times they’ve done something like this in the past. 

As he looked out into the inky blackness, he felt his eyes grow heavy with each passing streetlight.

Unsurprisingly, as they made their way to the not-twin’s home, Aoba had fallen asleep. Virus couldn’t help but smile upon seeing the sleeping man, trying to gently shake him awake, “Aoba-san. We’re here.” Virus’s voice was soft, easily lulling the blue haired man back to sleep, “You can’t sleep in the car, Aoba.” He was laughing now, softly, but loud enough that Aoba could hear. He couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes, being too tired now to even care. The soft murmurs as the blonde’s talked amongst themselves was the last thing Aoba heard before drifting into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kinda meh for me, but the next few chapters will start showing the development of their relationships! :'D


	4. Caution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter that hasn't been beta'd. If you see any glaring mistakes please let me know!

Aoba groaned softly as a ray of sunlight beat against his face from behind partially shut curtains. As he sat up a bit he had a moment of panic at the unfamiliar bedroom. He hastily recalled the events of the night prior before letting out a small sigh of relief. 

_That’s right… This is probably Trip and Virus’s house._

Pulling off the covers that he was wrapped in, he kicked his feet off the bed. He felt uncomfortable due to sleeping in fitting jeans, but he wasn’t going to complain since the twins could have easily tried to change him as he slept. He cringed at the thought. But in the back of his head he did feel like he owed the two of them. Despite them being the cause of his problems, the duo did keep him safe. The thought eased Aoba’s mind a little. 

He stood up, taking a quick look around the room. The walls were a deep purple color, with white furniture and curtains standing out in contrast. _They have a really fancy place…_ He eyed a door to the side of the room, opening it to reveal a roomy bathroom. 

Aoba took a moment to look presentable, using his fingers as a make-shift comb before leaving to join the other two. 

As he stepped through the hall he gave a small gasp in awe. The entire house looked like it had been modeled after a magazine. He felt grossly out of place in the stylish house, but those thoughts were left behind as the light and sweet smell of pancakes captured his attention and drew him closer to what he assumed to be the kitchen. 

“Good morning, Aoba-san.” Virus was sitting at the dining room table, sipping what appeared to be coffee. He was already dressed in a white button up and dress pants, leaving Aoba to wonder what time he had slept until, “Trip made breakfast. I’m sure you’re hungry after such an exciting night.”

“Yeah…” Sitting down at the table, Aoba gave a small smile. Being around them still made him nervous, but the fact that he wasn’t on the job had him a little more relaxed. 

“Good morning, Aoba.” Trip smiled as he carried a plate of food over to the already set table. Something about them seemed too domestic for what had happened the night prior, and Aoba suddenly felt his appetite leave him as he thought about his grandmother and when he would be able to leave.

“Hey… When will I be able to go home…?” He questioned, looking back at the two of them. Virus gave a smile as he placed a few pancakes on the plate in front of him. 

“I stayed up contacting some… individuals that we work with frequently. It was expensive, but your name should be cleared by tomorrow. Though that does mean you’ll have to spend another night with us. Did you enjoy your room?”

Aoba gave a small nod, “Yeah, it’s really nice. This whole place is, really.” 

“You’re too kind, Aoba-san.” Virus’s sapphire eyes softened a bit behind his glasses, a look the blue haired man had never seen on his face before. _Maybe they’re more human than I made them out to be._

Trip gained his attention, “You should eat. It’s important.”

“Ah, I’m okay. Really not that hungry…” Aoba trailed off, rubbing the back of his head.

Trip looked at him for a moment before returning back to his food. Aoba watch him as he cut a small piece of pancake, stabbing it with his fork before putting it near Aoba’s face, mere inches from his lips. The blue haired man gave a glance at the fork before parting his lips, eating the small piece of pancake. It was sweet and fluffy, and although it had more maple syrup on than he normally liked he couldn’t help but smile. Trip was a good cook, _who knew?_

“Hm? I want to feed Aoba-san, too.” Virus gave a coy smile.

Trip gave a laugh as Aoba’s face flushed a light pink, “I’ll get my own plate. I just wanted a taste before I helped myself, that’s all.” He grumbled, filling his own plate with pancakes.

“Ah, that’s too bad.” Virus sighed before returning to eating his own food. 

“You guys are weird.”

\---

Breakfast went by quickly, with Trip and Virus chatting to each other and Aoba looking on. Occasionally one of them would ask his opinion, and despite fumbling over his words at the questions they would treat his answer as if he had the best ideas of all of them.

“Aoba-san, I have something for you. I hope they fit alright, I had to guess your measurements but you will have something new to change into now.” He handed him a slim box. Aoba couldn’t help but feel like their kindness had hidden intentions, but he put that thought into the back of his mind, excusing himself to change. 

He made his way back to the guest room, making a mental map of the house. It was a huge house for being only one story, with the kitchen, dining room, and living room all connected by extravagant archways. _The guest room was through the dining area, down the hall, and the second door to the left…_ Aoba back tracked until he got to the room he had spent the night in, closing the door behind him.

Setting the box on the bed, he opened it. Inside was a blue button up, a grey sweater, as well as some black dress pants. Aoba made a face, _This is way too fancy to just wear around._ Sighing, he decided he didn’t have much of a choice.

\---

Feeling more human after showering and changing, Aoba stepped out of the guest room. He heard Trip’s voice coming from down the hall.

“Aoba-san isn’t available right now…”

Rolling his eyes, Aoba could only assume that it was his cellphone that the blonde was talking on, and knowing his luck it was probably a furious Koujaku on the other line. He followed the voice into the living area. It was a large room with a couch, coffee table, and two chairs, all white, with a large TV hanging above a fireplace. Trip was sitting on the couch with his feet on the coffee table, a mischievous grin on his face as he listened to the person on the line. Trip glanced at Aoba, giving a wolfish smile.

“You look great. Virus has good taste.” 

Aoba blushed, trying to give a look of indifference at the compliment as he glanced at the phone in Trip’s hand.

“Your phone started going off so I answered. Some hot-head Cow-jack wants to talk to you.” Trip tossed him the phone, which Aoba fumbled to catch before bringing it up to his face.

“Oi, Koujaku. You there? Sorry I wasn’t able to call last night.” 

Koujaku’s words were seething with anger as he spoke, “What the fuck is with that guy? Who is he anyways? You aren’t in trouble, are you Aoba? I’ll get you right away, and I swear-”

“It’s alright, don’t worry.” Aoba gave an awkward laugh, “I’m fine. It’s a long story but I won’t be able to be home for a few days. Can you make sure granny will be okay and keep her company?”

“First you need to tell me what happened.”

Aoba glanced at Trip, “I’m… kinda wanted by the cops, and the two blondes I told you about helped me out.” He didn’t add that they were the reason that he was wanted in the first place, but he felt lying was the better option at this point, “I don’t know how long I have to stay under the radar, to be honest, but I’ll call when I can.”

“The cops? What happened?” Koujaku’s tone was more worried than angry at this point, and Aoba let out a small sigh.

“I really can’t explain right now. It was a mistake on their part, so just trust me for now, okay?”

Aoba could tell Koujaku wanted to argue, to say there was another way, but they both knew this was the best they could do. “Alright… I’ll tell Tae-san you’ll be away a while. Don’t let those assholes get to you, okay?”

Aoba couldn’t help but smile. “Okay. Thanks, Koujaku.”

And with that the conversation was over. Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he glared half-heartedly at the blonde who was smiling at him like he was some new toy, “Oi, no answering my phone anymore. And quit doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Being weird.” 

The blonde gave a laugh, “You’re a lot more fun when you’re off the job; not nearly as stuffy.” 

Aoba just sighed as he sat down, looking to the TV as Trip flipped it back on. Some reality show was on, and as the blonde stared at the screen, looking bored, Aoba took the opportunity to glance his way, getting a better look at him. His eyes were an amber color, something Aoba had never noticed before, and even though his expression was the epitome of boredom there was a spark in his eye that drew Aoba in. He had a stronger jawline than Virus did, and Aoba could have sworn he saw tiny freckles dusting his cheeks and nose, even trailing down his neck. Aoba had to admit he was attractive, though he would never say that to his face.

_His ego is large enough as is._

“Like what you see, Aoba~.” Trip teased, glancing his way. Aoba’s face heated up as he looked away.

“You and Virus do look pretty different…” Aoba muttered, crossing his arms defensively, “You seem really alike at first glance, but a lot of little things are definitely different.”

The other just gave a small hum of thought, “I like that we look similar though. I guess you could say I look up to Virus.”

Aoba looked at him for a moment in surprise, _that was surprisingly honest…_ regaining his composure he turned back to the TV, “So where is Virus, anyways? I want to thank him for the clothes.”

“He usually locks himself up in the study when we’re off of work. He’s kinda boring sometimes and reads a lot.” Trip made a face, “It’s the last door down the hall, if you wanna go bug him. He should have his nose in a book or something.”

“Alright, thanks.” Aoba stood up, giving a smile in the blonde’s direction before leaving Trip to continue watching the television. He walked down the hall, turning to a wood door that matched the rest of them. Hesitantly, he raised his hand to give a knock. A few seconds later a calm looking Virus opened the door.

“Ah, Aoba-san, you can come in.” He opened the door farther, inviting Aoba into the large room. There were bookshelves up to the ceiling and a large desk situated by one of the walls. By a window similar to the one in the guest room there were two chairs and a side table, stacked with more books. Virus must have seen his gawking, because he chuckled, closing the door behind him, “Do you like it, Aoba-san? I’ve been collecting for some time now.”

“It’s… incredible.” Aoba said in awe, “It’s like a whole library.”

“Hm, I suppose.” He took a seat in one of the chairs, pushing up his glasses a bit, “Do you like to read?” 

Aoba ran his fingertips along the spines of the books, recognizing a few titles and authors as he skimmed though them, “I do. I always used to read, but when I got a full time job I guess I just ran out of time to…” He trailed off, glancing over to Virus.

“Ah, I see.” He gave a short reply before looking back down to his own book. Aoba felt uncomfortable in the silence that fell between them, and he fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt.

“I uh, wanted to thank you for the clothes.” He smiled a bit, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, “I’m also really grateful that you guys are letting me stay here …” He glanced over to Virus, whose usual cocky and cool expression was gone, replaced with a look of something Aoba could quite peg. Surprise, maybe? But by the time he turned to meet Virus’s gaze the expression was gone, replaced with his usual smirk.

“You’re welcome. It’s only polite after getting you wrapped up in our affairs. Though, if you ever wanted to join us, all you’d have to do is ask.”

“No thanks, I prefer making my money honestly.” Rolling his eyes, Aoba gave a soft laugh before looking back to the shelf, “Can I take one?”

“Of course. Feel free to stay and read. I need to talk to Trip about a few things.” And with that Aoba was left alone in the office.

Virus leaving all of a sudden perked Aoba’s curiosity, but he decided after all that had happened it was best to keep his questions to himself. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and he still wasn’t sold that Trip and Virus were people that could be trusted. So, Aoba did the only thing he could do at this point; curl up on one of the chairs and read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also did I mention this is gonna be a slow build? Because it is.   
> (Translation: I'm sorry there isn't any relationships yet besides mutual interest and distrust.)


	5. Confidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My week has been off so the chapter suffered as well. Hopefully next week will run a little more smoothly.

“Ah, it smells amazing!” Aoba chimed as he looked at the soup Virus had made. Trip gave a grin, ruffling Virus’s hair before sitting down at the table next to him.

“He normally sucks at cooking, so Virus must have worked really hard on this.”

“My cooking is fine.” Virus said, elbowing the larger man in the side, gaining a small ‘oof’ from the other man, before pushing up his glasses, “I hope you like it, Aoba-san.” Aoba’s heart fluttered at the thought of Virus, who always seemed too cool for everyone else, working hard on something just for him. He gave a nod, a grin spreading across his face.

“Thanks.”

As the three of them ate, Trip and Virus chatted as they did at breakfast. Aoba listened closer this time as they talked freely about their boss and a woman named Satomi, whom Virus described as a “annoying but reliable secretary” which would have the paperwork regarding Aoba’s criminal record sorted by the morning. 

“So would I be completely cleared, then?” Aoba questioned between bites. Trip gave a nod.

“Mhm. Just be sure not to get in any other trouble.” His tone was light, but there was a level of seriousness to it. 

The azure haired man gave a smile, “Hey, my rebellious teen years are behind me.”

“Aoba-san? Rebellious?” Virus chuckled softly, “I find that hard to believe.”

He shrugged, “Eh, I really wasn’t much more than a petty thug, but granny would get really mad when I came home all beat up. Koujaku always worried too much about me too.” 

“That was the guy who called?” Trip asked. Aoba laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah. He can be kinda short tempered, and is really protective over his friends.” He smiled fondly as he sipped the wine that Virus had offered him, thinking about all the times that Koujaku helped him out when he got in over his head. 

Virus rested his head in his hand, giving a sly smile, “So Aoba-san, is he your boyfriend?” 

Aoba almost spit out his drink. 

“N-No, of course not. He’s more of a brother to me than anything.” He coughed, looking at the blonde in disbelief, “W-why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Why you-” He gave a huff, crossing his arms, “Ya’know, just because you wonder something doesn’t mean you should ask.”

Virus looked at him with a blank stare before shifting his gaze to the side, “Mm…. I suppose not, but it’s more fun when I do.”

“Mhm,” Trip interjected, “Plus it’s fun seeing you get so flustered, Aoba.”

He rolled his eyes, giving a look of disbelief, “I can’t believe you two. You shouldn’t ask super personal stuff.”

“Why not?” They asked at the same time, like children that were being scolded not to eat cookies before dinner.

“Because you could upset someone,” Aoba gave a firm nod, finishing up the soup in his bowl as the other two looked at one another before shrugging. 

“As long as it doesn’t upset Aoba-san, I see no reason to stop.” Virus hummed.

Trip gave a nod, “Mhm. So be sure to tell us if you’re upset, okay Aoba~.”

“Alright, alright, but no more trying to embarrass me.” He tried his best to look serious, but Aoba couldn’t help but smile at the two. They were very strange, but not bad people per say. Despite the strange set of circumstances, Aoba didn’t mind being with them. 

The three of them continued to talk a while after their meal was finished, but as the night rolled to an end Aoba found his eyes growing heavy. 

He gave a nod to the duo, “Thanks again for the meal. I think I’m gonna go get some sleep. I’d like to head home tomorrow as soon as I can.”

“Of course, Aoba-san. I hope you rest well.”

“Night~.”

And with that he left the two blondes.

When he was in the now familiar bedroom he laid down on the bed, flipping his phone open. There were about a dozen or so texts from Koujaku asking if he was alright, if he would come home soon, etc. Aoba smiled, pressing the dial button and putting the phone up to his ear. 

“Aoba-san! I- uh, you’re still okay?”

“I’m fine, hippo.” Aoba spoke through a grin, “You looked like you were worried. Is granny okay?” 

“She was really ticked when I told her what happened. You have a lot of explaining to do, Aoba…” His serious tone caused his smile to fall almost instantly.

“I know…” he felt a twinge of guilt in his stomach. He did owe Koujaku and his grandmother an explanation, but he knew it would be better to explain in person after everything was over with. 

“Er, as long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.” Koujaku then said, obviously trying to lighten the mood, “So don’t worry about me or Tae-san, and try and get some sleep, okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, Koujaku.”

And with that he did, feeling both nervous and excited to go back home the next morning.

\---

“Granny, I’m home.” His voice was filled with a nervous tension as he spoke loud enough that his voice rang through the entire house. He knew the tension filling the air would only worsen with the blonde duo following close behind him. They agreed that morning to explain the situation to his grandmother with him, but that didn't ease his worries any. As the pink haired woman came out of the living room, her glare sent shivers up his spine. She sucked in a soft breath and Aoba braced himself.

“YOU STUPID GRANDSON.” She yelled, her face clear with rage, “Haga-san went into work and saw that his shop was destroyed! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?” She paused to look at the blondes who were taking their shoes off behind him. Her voice lowered as she stared at the two, “Aoba, do you understand who those men are?”

He gulped, opening his mouth to reply but Virus cut him off, “We are members of the Yakuza, ma’am. I assume you are Aoba-san’s grandmother? I am Virus, and this is Trip”

He gave a bow, Trip following suit. She gave a huff, turning back to her grandson. “Aoba, go upstairs. Ren should be in your room, I’m sure he missed you.”

“Y-Yeah.” He glanced at the blondes, who looked as emotionless as ever, before climbing up the stairs to his room. He sat on the floor next to his open door, holding an excited Ren close as he listened to his grandmother converse with the blondes.

\---

“I thank you for taking care of my grandson.” The pink haired woman said, offering tea to the duo as they sat at the kitchen table, “However, I would like to know exactly why the police were after him in the first place.”

“You see,” Virus started, “It was simply a misunderstanding. We were doing some jobs in the area and went to the store. They were given a tip about us, and so they assumed Aoba-san was with the Yakuza as well. They didn’t give us a choice but to run.”

“Hmpf… you boys are old enough to know the Yakuza isn’t welcome here. What are you doing in Midorijima?”

“Our boss merely wants political power over the area. We pose no harm to the community, I assure you.” Virus said, taking a sip of his tea, “We know full well why Midorijima doesn’t welcome us.”

Tae’s eyes narrowed.

“I assure you, the people who attacked Midorijima all those years ago were not acting on behalf of the Yakuza.”

She gave a gruff noise of disapproval, looking down into her tea, “You better hope not. The men who attacked here fifteen years ago were the same ones who killed Aoba’s parents, as well as many others.”

She could recall the events well. 

Four men armed with guns and blades game into the slums, hollering to each other as they attacked civilians. Their intricate tattoo work burned into her memory as she saw those men taking women and children as hostages and killing any who tried to oppose them. Aoba’s parents, Haruka and Nain, fought back against them, and it cost them their lives. The police were finally able to take down the killers, but by that time it was too late. The damage had been done.

When she looked back up to the boys she saw an expression she wasn’t sure she’d find on any member of the Yakuza. Surprise. It was subtle, and brief, but she saw it. “I’m very sorry for your loss." Virus spoke again. They all sat in silence as they drank their tea. 

After finishing her own, Tae stood up, giving a bow to the two of them, “Thank you for taking care of my grandson, but if you could, please leave us be.”

The duo glanced at each other. They gave a nod before rising, giving a bow in return, “Thank you for having us.” 

And with that the two took their leave. 

Tae cleaned the tea before taking a seat in the living area, her thoughts getting the best of her until Aoba appeared in the doorframe. 

“Granny…” He said softly, his tone apologetic. She looked up at him, giving a stern look.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’re still in trouble for getting caught up in affairs that people like us should stay out of.” She scolded, but her eyes softened.

“I know, I know.” Aoba gave a small smile, scratching the back of his head, “Jeez, I haven’t been scolded like this since I wrote your age on your birthday cake last year.”

“Hmpf!” 

As silence fell between the two, she heard Aoba sigh softly, “Hey, granny?” 

“Yes?”

“I don’t think Virus and Trip are bad people. They’re not good with others and are kind of strange, but I don’t think that they’re bad just because they’re Yakuza…”

She was surprised to hear Aoba, of all people, say that, but she knew better than to argue with him, “I won’t tell you to stop seeing them…” She shook her head, “Just please be careful not to get yourself into anything dangerous.”

“I’ll be careful, Granny, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhg this chapter just didn't want to work. I scrapped it twice, even tried a different pov, but nothing wanted to go as planned. So this is pretty much a transition with a little back story thrown in for good measure. ;_; Sorry.


	6. Engagement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta is back! :'D Thanks Ashley~. 
> 
> This was originally one long chapter, but I decided to split it up so it didn't get too long. I hope you guys enjoy it!

As the chilly November rolled into mid-December, things were finally getting back to normal for Aoba. He was able to invite Kouajku over for dinner the night he returned, explaining what had happened. His best friend was angry that the Yakuza were behind everything that happened, but he was more relieved that Aoba wasn't hurt. Aoba called Haga-san the day after he returned home, explaining (in very vague detail) the situation that happened, and that he was very sorry the shop was destroyed on his watch. Haga-san said he was going to be angry, but a mysterious donor left enough money for not only the repairs, but also the damaged products that were caused by the shootings, so he felt there was no harm done. This didn’t keep him from telling Aoba not to close by himself, though, and he hired a new person as well to help out.

“Aoba-san, please be careful!” The white haired boy, named Clear, cried as Aoba stepped onto the top rung, “You’re not supposed to go up that high, please let me do that!”

Aoba just sighed, continuing to place boxes, “It’ll be fine, Clear. I’ve done this before, now why don’t you go to the register in case customers come in.” Finishing, he stepped back down the ladder.

“Alright…” The boy pouted, but skipped down the aisle back towards the register nonetheless. 

As Aoba continued restocking he let his thoughts wonder. He hadn’t heard from the blonde duo since everything had passed, and they hadn’t even said goodbye before leaving. That was about two weeks ago, and Aoba was beginning to think that maybe that was the last he would see of them. He pondered the thought, frowning a little.

“Aoba-san?” Clear caught his attention, “There are some guys up in front for you.”

“Hm?” He gave a nod, “I’ll be right there.”

“Okay!” The other gave a huge smile before skipping to the front. Aoba quickly unloaded the cart before walking up to the front. He couldn’t help the smile that came to his face when he saw the two blondes. They were same as always, but this time wearing street clothes, not their normal formal attire.

“Yo, Aoba!” Trip waved, “Long time no see. We wanted to call, but forgot to grab your number.”

Virus gave his signature smirk, “Hello, Aoba-san. We came because we wanted to see when you’re done with work.”

“Eh? Um, I’m done at around one today. Why?”

“No longer working night shifts?” Virus chuckled, “Anyways, we wanted to ask if you would like to go on a date with us.” 

There was a moment of silence as Aoba registered what he had said, “…Date?”

“Mhm.” Trip beamed, “You would choose where we go of course.”

“W-whatever, just um, come talk to me after work, okay?” Aoba blushed, glancing at Clear, who was smiling all too knowingly. 

“Ah, of course. We’ll meet you outside at one, then.” Virus said, giving a nod before turning to leave.

“Bye-bye!”

Flustered, Aoba’s face heated up as he stared at Clear, who was laughing softly behind the scarf he was wearing.

“Aoba-san, you have some very sweet admirers. I wish my prince charming would come sweep me off my feet.” He cooed, “You’re so lucky, Aoba-san!”

“Yeah, I guess,” Aoba ran a hand through his hair, “Um, could you not tell Haga-san about this? We’re, uh, not exactly supposed to take personal conversations while at work.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Aoba-san!” Clear nodded enthusiastically.

Giving Clear thanks, he returned back to work. The day seemed to move much more slowly than it had been that morning, but when 1:00 did roll around, the two were back as they said they would be. 

“Bye Clear.” Aoba waved to the other with one foot out the door. He caught a distant “have fun” before the door shut behind him.“So where are we going?” Aoba asked as he started to walk down the sidewalk, with Virus and Trip on either side of him.

“We told you to decide, Aoba.” Trip smiled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Aoba leaned into the gesture a bit, enjoying the warmth. One thing he noticed about Trip was that he was like a walking furnace, something that was welcoming given the chilly weather that they had gotten. It wasn’t quite cold enough for snow, but walking for too long did chill you.

“Hot chocolate, then.” He said, giving a nod, “Yoshi-san has some of the best. Plus it’ll be nice since it’s so dreary out.”

“Sounds good.”

“Mm. You lead the way, Aoba-san.” 

“Alright.” Aoba continued in the same direction. He glanced over to Virus, “Hey, where have you two been, anyways?”

He gave a look of surprise before pushing up his glasses, “Well, our boss was able to gain some authority over the area after the police shot up that grocery store you work in. ‘Police Brutality’ I believe it’s called.” He smirked at Aoba, “We've been busy with things because of it, but you really helped us.”

Aoba frowned a bit, his brows furrowing, “So you’re taking me out to celebrate?”

“Nope. We just wanted to take you out.” Trip gave a grin.

“I thought it would be a good idea to take you on a proper date.” Virus claimed, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Y-yeah,” Aoba blushed slightly, “Um, the shop is the next one over there.” He said, pointing to the building. It was similar to the grocery store Aoba worked in, though quite a bit smaller, “Just warning you, the woman who owns it is kinda… eccentric.”

“Says the man wearing an obnoxious Jerry Blaine jacket.” Trip laughed, removing himself from Aoba’s side to open the door for the other two. The smell of chocolate and coffee filled Aoba’s senses as he walked up to the counter, rubbing his arms a bit to warm up.

“Ah, Aoba-san!”Yoshie nearly shouted, cooing over him, “You haven’t visited in so long! I was worried you forgot about me.” She held a hand to her chest, seemingly heartbroken before her attention turned towards Trip and Virus, “Oh? And where on Earth have you been hiding these lovely men! You know, boys, I have a few job openings if you want them.” She gestured towards the sign, which read that only young men should apply. Virus laughed softly, though Aoba could tell it wasn’t genuine. 

“Ah, thank you, Miss, but we already have jobs.” He pushed up his glasses, “But the offer is appreciated nonetheless.”

“Oh well, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask,” She looked disappointed, but her happy demeanor returned almost instantly as she clapped her hands together, “Mizu-chan will be right with you!”

The large woman shuffled to the back room before Mizuki, Aoba’s friend, came to take her place next to the register, “Yo, Aoba. Thought you fell off the face of the earth for a while. I heard about what happened at the shop. Everyone okay?”

“Ah, yeah, everything is fine.” Aoba gave a grin, pushing some hair out of his face, “How’ve you been? Collage treating you alright?”

“Well what do you expect!” the redhead gave a thumb up, “And checks this out!” He tilted his head to the side, revealing a white tribal looking tattoo that stretched across his neck. 

“Woah, that’s awesome! So are you gonna be able to do that one day?” Aoba grinned.

“Of course! Ah, but enough about that, what did you guys want to drink.”

“The usual for me.” Aoba gave a nod before turning to the blonde duo that was standing behind him, “What do you all want?”

“I’ll just have coffee.” Virus gave a nod, “Don’t worry about cream or sugar.”

Mizuki jotted the order down before looking at Trip, “And you?”

“Hm… I’ll have a pumpkin spice coffee with extra whipped cream.”

Aoba laughed softly to himself, noticing the polar opposites. They were so alike, but there were more ways they were different.

“Alright I’ll have that for you all in a bit.” Mizuki gave another smile before going to prepare their drinks. Aoba took Trip and Virus’s hands, leading them over to a table.

“So you two are friends, Aoba?” Trip asked as he took a seat, his expression showing interest. It was a nice change compared to the indifference he and Virus usually had.

“Yeah, we’ve been friends forever.” Aoba said, resting his cheek in his hand as he looked down into his mug, “He’s going to school to become a tattoo artist. He’s actually really great at it.”

Virus raised a brow, “Do you like tattoos, Aoba?”

“Eh?” Thinking a bit, Aoba gave a shrug, “On other people they look good, but I don’t think I’d ever get a tattoo.”

Trip and Virus looked at each other, as if Aoba said the punchline to an inside joke. He was about to question but Mizuki came with their orders before he got the chance. 

“Here you guys go. I hope you enjoy it, and when you’re ready to pay just ring the bell by the register.” He gave a grin before leaving the three to themselves in the quiet shop.

“So…” Aoba started, blowing at his hot chocolate to cool it, “Why take me out?”

He was honestly curious, and decided it was better to be straightforward around them. Virus gave a smile.

“Always asking questions. Why can’t we just take you out?” 

Aoba gave a small pout, “Because most guys don’t take other guys out on a date without there being some reason for it.”

Trip chuckled, “Typical Aoba. Always seeing right through us.”

“Mm. The truth is, Aoba,” Virus gave a serious look, his blue eyes staring into Aoba’s, “We enjoy your company, and wanted to take you out under more normal circumstances because we’re very interested in you.”

Aoba could feel his face heat up. His eyes narrowed as he took a sip of his hot chocolate, trying his hardest to will away the blush on his cheek, “So you just wanted to go out?”

“Mm.” Trip gave a nod, “We wanted to keep in touch. There aren’t very many people we like, Aoba~.”

“So, um…” Aoba blushed, muttering softly, “This isn’t just a one-time thing?”

“That depends on you, Aoba-san.” Virus gave a genuine smile, “But we would like to see you again.”

“You’re saying weird things again…” Aoba grumbled, taking another sip, “Besides, don’t you two have a relationship… thing…?”

His excuses were lame, and he knew it. He was flustered an embarrassed at the two’s sudden confession, but he felt an emotion in him he wasn’t sure how to peg. He was excited and happy at the thought of the two wanting to see him more often, but there was still uncertainty.

“I… I’ll think about it.” He gave a nod, “How about we start small? Like normal people?”

Trip chuckled, “Running from the cops together not normal enough?” 

“Of course not!” He glared before fishing his wallet out of his pocket, pulling out an old receipt. He quickly jotted down his number on the back of it before handing it to the two, “Here’s my number. Then you don’t have to stop at the store all the time to talk to me.”

“Ahh, I guess I won’t get sweets as often,” Trip complained, “But thanks, Aoba~.”

“Thank you, Aoba-san.”

The two seemed happy, and Aoba could feel his chest swell. They were happy he was giving them a chance. He still wasn’t sure how a relationship between all three of them would work, or if he even wanted to be in a relationship with them, but for now, he didn’t hate being with them.


	7. Argument

After they had finished their drinks, Aoba made his way up to the counter.

“Aoba-san, you don’t have to pay for us.” Virus stated, reaching for his own wallet. Aoba just waved him off, determined to pay. He hated relying on others when he didn’t have to, and he knew Virus and Trip were the type to throw money at him if they felt like it. The money they gave him when they first met was proof of that.

“I got this. Besides, I have a hundred dollar bill burning a hole in my pocket.” Aoba gave a grin, gesturing towards the door, “You guys wait by the door, okay?”

“Alright, Aoba-san.” Virus pursed his lips into a slight frown before walking back over to Trip. Mizuki’s teasing laugh pulled Aoba’s attention towards the red-head as soon as Virus was out of earshot.

“So, _Aoba-san_ ,”He gave a shit-eating grin, his voice hushed as he gave Aoba a nudge, “You’re totally into those guys. They’re pretty hot, I’ll admit, but I never knew you had a twin fetish.”

Aoba could feel the heat rushing to his face as he glanced over to the blonde duo, checking to make sure they hadn’t heard. He let out a relieved sigh when he realized they didn’t before turning back to Mizuki, “They’re not twins.” He hissed back, glaring at his friend, “They’re completely different people. Besides, I don’t just like them because they look alike.”

“Could have fooled me.”Mizuki grinned, handing Aoba his change, “Hope you have a good time. I want the deets later.” He winked, before waving Aoba off.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Aoba rolled his eyes at his friend, turning back to his dates. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged on his lips as Trip and Virus held the doors open for him like he was royalty. “Thanks for everything Mizuki.” He waved over his shoulder as Trip and Virus followed him out of the shop. 

“Want us to drive you home, Aoba-san?” Virus asked, gracefully returning to the blue-haired man’s side. 

“I think we’ll have to walk… Driving tends to be nearly impossible this time of day. I don’t think Granny will be home for a while, though, so we can just hang out at my house until she kicks you two out.” Aoba said with an awkward smile before looking down at his feet, his brows knitting together. _How is this gonna work if Granny doesn’t like them? Hell, half the area wouldn’t like them if they knew the truth._

“Aoba.”

Breaking from his thoughts, he looked back up to meet Trip’s gaze. The man looked at him with faux indifference, but amber eyes shone with concern as he spoke, “You’re thinking too much. It’s cold. Let’s go.”

“Ah, y-yeah.”

\---

“I’m s-sorry for the long walk.” Aoba shivered as the three of them walked into his home, kicking off their shoes at the door, “Want some tea to warm up?”

“That would be good. Next time, we’re driving you home.” Virus said as Aoba flicked on the lights, “Ah, I didn’t have a chance to tell you this last time we were over, but you have a very nice home, Aoba-san.”

Blushing slightly, Aoba shook his head, “It’s really nothing compared to your house.” He smiled a bit, pushing some of his hair behind his ear, “You guys make yourselves at home; I’ll get the tea.”

Aoba shuffled through the kitchen as he made drinks, sighing a bit. The walk from the coffee shop to his home was longer than he had thought, and the three of them had successfully been chilled to the bone. Aoba internally cursed the fact that Midorijima was too busy most days for driving to be beneficial, though he knew his grumbling wouldn’t change the fact. He poured the tea into two cups, taking them out to the blondes. 

“Here you guys go.” He said, placing the cups on the table, noticing how close they were to each other. The duo was sitting on the couch, with Trip’s arm tightly around Virus. _They get along so well when they’re alone…_ Aoba couldn’t shake the self-conscious feelings that bubbled inside of him as he left to get his own tea. He wondered why they would ask him to go out when they already had each other. He shoved those thoughts aside as he sat on the other end of the couch. The distance must have been noticeable enough, because Trip patted the spot next to him.

“You’re not gonna warm up sitting all the way over there.” He gave a grin. Aoba felt blood rush to his face as he took a sip of tea, the two watching him. Aoba slowly scooted over to the larger man, letting a hand fall over his shoulder. 

Virus gave an audible hum, “This is nice. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date.”

“Mm.” Trip gave a nod. “Same.”

“You two don’t go on dates?” Aoba questioned, leaning over to look at the two of them. Virus just shrugged.

“Why would we?” Trip glanced at Aoba, looking genuinely confused. The later gave an awkward laugh in reply.

“Right. My bad.”

_They’re still really weird._

“Oi, Aoba! You home?” 

Aoba froze, hearing that voice. He knew who it was, and he knew the second he saw what was going on all hell would break loose. Everything seemed like it was going in slow motion as his friend turned the corner, looking straight into the living room to see Aoba, Virus, and Trip cuddled together.

“H-Hey, Koujaku!” Aoba feigned innocence, giving a smile in hopes that his best friend wouldn’t freak out at the current situation. 

Needless to say, it didn’t work.

“Aoba.”Koujaku snarled, his eyes boring into Trip and Virus as they stood up from the couch, “These are the Yakuza bastards, I take it?”

Virus looked bored as he gave a soft sigh, “We’re right here, you know.”

“What the fuck are they doing here, Aoba?” Rage was plastered on Koujaku’s face as he blatantly ignored Virus, “They better not have shown up here uninvited.”

“Like you?” Trip gave a snide smirk, crossing his arms infront of him as he gave an unimpressed shrug.  
Aoba stood up, setting his tea on the coffee table. “G-guys, there’s no need to-” He was cut off by Koujaku’s yelling. 

“I don’t need to be scolded by two criminals!” He snapped, his hands balling into fists at his sides. Aoba looked between him and the blondes, trying to raise his voice again, only to be interrupted. He ground his teeth in irritation as Virus and Trip did absolutely nothing to make things better. 

“How annoying…” Trip scoffed. Virus gave a hum of agreement, “You’re so loud.” They looked down at Koujaku, bored and emotionless. The sight startled Aoba, knowing that this was Virus and Trip the Yakuza, not the men who had taken him out on a date a few hours ago. 

Virus snickered, “What’s wrong, _Koujaku-san_?”

And with that Koujaku lunged for the two. 

Virus quickly dodged the fist that came towards him, attempting to knock Koujaku down with a swift kick to the back of his leg. The raven haired man was too fast for him, though, having had martial arts training his entire life.Trip reached for Koujaku, trying to snatch his wrist to no avail. Aoba struggled to stop the fighting from the sidelines. 

“G-guys, please, there’s no need to do this!” Aoba pleaded, trying to grab one of them so the fighting would stop.

In the scuffle, no one had heard someone enter the house. Aoba caught a glimpse of his grandmother in the doorframe, and his entire body tensed as he braced himself.

“STOP FIGHTING IN MY HOUSE!” She screamed, effectively startling all four of the boys. The fighting ceased so fast Aoba’s head was spinning. Virus and Trip stood up straight, composing themselves before giving a low bow. Koujaku stood there, his mouth open in surprise before looking back at Tae and bowing as well.

“Sorry, Tae-san.” He muttered, sounding completely defeated and entirely guilty.

“Hmpf! If you can’t behave yourself when you’re in my house you will have to find somewhere else to mooch from. As for you two,” She pointed a finger at the blondes, “I don’t know why you’re here, but if you’re going to stir up hate and discontent you need to leave.” 

“Of course, Seragaki-san.” The two responded in unison, standing back up. 

Tae gave a nod, seemingly content, “Good. Now are you boys all staying for dinner?” 

Virus and Trip glanced at each other before shaking their heads, “Aoba-san did tell us you were an amazing cook, but we’ll have to pass for now.” Virus said, “We have somewhere to be, and only meant to stay for a short amount of time. Aoba-san, can you walk us out?”

Aoba gave a nod before leading the two away from the disapproving stares of Tae and Koujaku. He stopped on the front step, closing the door behind him, “You two are unbelievable.” His eyes narrowed.

“We’re sorry, Aoba-san-” Virus started, but Aoba held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Look, you can tease me and its fine, but there are a lot of people in the area that don’t like the fact that you’re Yakuza, Koujaku included.” Aoba huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Trip and Virus both looked disappointed, but Aoba continued, “You can’t egg people on like that, okay?”

“Alright, Aoba…” Trip sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

“Okay, Aoba-san.” Virus gave a nod as well.

Aoba nodded at their apology, smiling slightly, “Text me whenever, alright? I really did enjoy today, and Granny and Koujaku will be more accepting if you give them time… But no getting in anymore fights.”

The two gave matching grins, waving as they stepped off, “Of course, Aoba/Aoba-san.”

Aoba smiled as they walked off, yelling a final “Behave yourselves!” before going back into the tense atmosphere of his home. Aoba looked ahead to see Koujaku leaning against the wall, his arms crossed as he looked over to Aoba. 

“Sorry.” He sighed, looking down. Aoba shook his head, walking over to his friend then placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, okay? No one was hurt and nothing was broken, so everything is fine.” Aoba pinched the raven haired man’s cheek suddenly, frowning, “But no more getting into fights.”

“Alright, alright.”Koujaku slapped Aoba’s hand away, laughing softly. Aoba chuckled quietly as well, but as silence returned, Koujaku’s smile fell, “Hey, they weren’t here to hurt you, were they…?” 

“Of course not, hippo. They took me out to make up for what happened. When they walked me home we were all cold, so I invited them in.” Aoba put a hand to his forehead in annoyance, “I can’t believe you would pick a fight with them just because they’re Yakuza.”

“Aoba-” Koujaku opened his mouth to argue, “I just…” His mouth snapped shut as he paused, thinking through how he was going to say it.

“I know, you have a hard time trusting them… I don’t blame you, but I don’t believe that they’re bad people, and I don’t think that you should either.”

“Alright.”

“Good, now let’s go help granny with dinner.” Aoba smiled.

“Yeah.”

\---

After dinner was finished and Koujaku left for the night, Aoba retired to his room, flopping down on the bed before taking the phone from his pocket. He felt his heart beat uncomfortably in his chest as he saw a group chat invitation and texts from two unknown numbers.

**Unknown:**   
_Aoba~ This is Trip._

**Unkown:**   
_Trip, I told you it was inappropriate to text him so soon. I’m sorry about this, Aoba. This is Virus._

Aoba laughed under his breath, punching in their contact information before sending a reply.

**Me:**   
_its cool. I’m going to bed tho. Night guys._

**Virus:**   
_Good night, Aoba-san. Sleep well._

**Trip:**   
_Night <3_

As he shut off his phone and crawled into bed, Aoba couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe he was developing feelings for the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry for this chapter being over a week late! School has been really kicking my ass, but I hope you enjoy the chapter nonetheless!


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